Taking a look at AA's Twelve Steps for Recovery

“Presently, we took a look at AA’s Twelve Steps for recovery. Yet, it must be admitted that some of us promptly forgot ten of them, as possibly not needed. At first, we bought only the concept that we were alcoholics, that attendance at meetings and a helping hand to the newcomers would be sufficient to solve our booze problem and, no doubt, all problems.
“Indeed, some of us began to look with approval on the insidious old cliche which says that “drinking is but a good man’s fall.” Once off the grog, life should become, we thought, as pleasant as a bowl of cherries. So at first, we simply warmed our hands at the AA fire and all seemed well.
“Then by slow degrees, certain dissatisfactions set in. Perhaps our own group was not so wonderful as we had first supposed, maybe there was some rock throwing at a scandal, or perhaps a distressing row. Who would become the group’s next chairman? Then, too, we found that there were people we simply could not like, and we worshiped the ones we did admire, who often failed to give us the attention that we really deserved.
“Even back at home we would have to get a shot once the pink cloud has passed over the household. Things sometimes seemed just as bad as ever; the old wounds simply wouldn’t heal at all. Though visibly impressed with our sobriety, the bank, nevertheless, demanded to know when we were going to pay up. Our boss, likewise requested in firm tones that we “get with it.” At this point, each of us looked up at his sponsor and regaled him with these unexpected woes.
“Those various resentments, anxieties, and depressions were definitely caused, we claim, either by our unfortunate circumstances or by the inconsiderate behavior of other people. Greatly to our consternation, our sponsors didn’t seem in the least impressed. We can remember how many of them said, “Why don’t we sit down and take a good, hard look at all of AA’s Twelve Steps. Maybe you have been missing a great deal; in fact, perhaps you have been missing just about everything.”
-Bill W.
Dr. Bob & Bill W. Speak, Michael Fitzpatrick, Pg. 69-70